London, England (CNN) -- "Prodigy," "virtuoso," "genius" -- these are some of the words used to describe Lang Lang -- the most popular pianist on the planet.

To his millions of fans worldwide the 27-year-old Chinese musician is a God-like star, whose skill and energetic performance style put him in a league of his own.

To his occasional critics he is a flamboyant showman, whose exaggerated body movements taint the classical music that he plays, although his incredible talent is undeniable.

By the age of three, Lang Lang was already taking lessons. By the age of five, he had won his first competition. Now, not even 30, he has been named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Since taking center stage at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony, Lang Lang has become a superstar on the international circuit.

Piano is something that I feel very close [to] ... It is maybe my greatest friend.--Lang Lang

He has performed at the Grammy Awards, China's 60th Anniversary in Tiananmen Square and headlined hundreds more concerts around the globe, demonstrating enormous skill and an emotional, physical response to the music in every performance.

Some of Lang Lang's extraordinary talents can perhaps be attributed to his love of the piano -- which he says is "something I feel very close to."

He goes as far as to describe the instrument as "maybe my greatest friend."

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He also reveals the perfectionism that drives him, saying "sometimes you are not satisfied with yourself and sometimes you are not satisfied with the piano, so you fight!"

It has propelled Lang Lang to the very top of his profession, touring at a frenetic pace and collaborating with his musical hero, Herbie Hancock, in a jazz-meets-classical concert series.

Worldwide his influence has inspired millions of children to take up the piano -- it's called the "Lang Lang effect" -- and a variety of highly sought-after goods now bear his name, including Steinway's only personally-branded piano.

It was at this point that Lang Lang remembers his father, enraged by his failure, telling him he should throw himself off their tenement building.

"[My father] became really kind of nuts ... One time he just asked me to jump the building, to finish ... it was really tragic," Lang Lang said.

Reflecting on that time, Lang Lang is grateful he did not attempt suicide. His relationship with his father, deeply damaged by the incident, has taken almost a decade to repair.

Lang Lang's father remembers the time differently. saying, "The way I see it, pressure always turned into motivation ... pressure always end[s] up as power."

Lang Lang's mother says that he could have been more gentle.

"[His] father is always very strict with him," she told CNN. "He seldom smiles, always wearing a straight face ... I don't like him that way."

She listened to classical music obsessively during her pregnancy in the hopes of jump starting her child's gift, according to The New York Times.

It's clear that Lang Lang's incredible success story is very much a family affair, for which he feels fortunate.

"I feel that I kind of deserve my career, but I'm very lucky ... I think its really a gift," he said.

At home in China, young admirers of Lang Lang's talents mob him, asking for signatures and photos.

As well as fans, his superstar status has brought with it detractors.

Notably, The New Yorker magazine dubbed him "the J Lo of Piano" for his physical style and flamboyant outfits, which include a custom pair of gold Adidas sneakers.

Lang Lang says he pays little attention to critics nowadays though, acknowledging that he gets flack for what he calls "liberal thoughts," "strange interpretations" and for being "too physical or something."